Many people with lupus find natural treatments helpful in managing symptoms and decreasing flare-ups; however, certain options can cause adverse reactions or interfere with medications prescribed to treat their disease.
Conventional treatment involves medication that will help control inflammation and protect organ damage, including corticosteroids such as prednisone; immunosuppressants like Azathioprine (Imuran, Azasan), Mycophenolate Mofetil Cellcept methotrexate Trexall Cyclosporine Neoral as well as newer drug anifrolumab Gazyva. Furthermore herbs and supplements may also be recommended.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice involving inserting needles at precise points on the body in order to stimulate healing and improve functioning. Acupuncturists believe that energy, or “qi,” runs through channels throughout your body and organs – helping keep everything running smoothly but stress, lifestyle behaviors, or other factors may interfere and block it, leading to problems within. Acupuncturists use needles to unblock it again so your body heals itself more efficiently.
Acupuncturists who follow more ancient Chinese practices tend to focus on channeling qi, while modern Western medicine-based acupuncturists employ needles as stimuli to the body’s systems and systems stimulation. Many acupuncturists employ both approaches. Acupuncture can also be used to ease myofascial pain – tight, painful knots in muscles. Acupuncturists can untie these knots by inserting needles at specific points on your body in order to release tension.
Some herbs and dietary supplements may provide relief to people living with lupus, yet little is understood regarding how they work or their safety. Before trying any herbs or dietary supplements for yourself, please discuss it with your physician as certain ones could interact negatively with lupus medications that you are currently taking.
Tai Chi
Studies show that Tai chi can assist people living with Lupus with balance and flexibility issues, helping reduce stress, fatigue, pain reduction, and improve sleep. But before beginning practice of any sort, always consult with your physician first to assess its effect and safety for you.
Systemic Lupus Erthematosus (SLE) occurs when your immune system mistakes cells and tissues produced by your own body for invading invaders and attacks them, leading to inflammation and damage. Antimalarial, immunosuppressive and biologic medications can help protect organs against long-term organ damage while simultaneously relieving symptoms – although acetaminophen may help with fever reduction; it cannot, however, control inflammation or slow your immune response response.
Alternative therapies like meditation, acupuncture, biofeedback and yoga may help those living with SLE manage symptoms more effectively. They may allow you to relax while also focusing on positive aspects of life – which in turn may improve mood and decrease stress levels.
Studies suggest that herbs and supplements like curcumin, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and green tea might offer some benefit in treating or alleviating flares associated with lupus; however, there’s limited evidence they can do this effectively. Since natural treatments could potentially interact with medications prescribed to you for your condition – in particular some forms of ginseng and alfalfa could trigger flare-ups – it’s best to speak to your healthcare provider prior to trying new remedies yourself. A naturopathic doctor or integrative healthcare practitioner can assist in selecting which natural remedies would work for you personally.
Meditation
Lupus patients frequently suffer from cognitive dysfunction, which affects their ability to think clearly or recognize what’s going on around them. This makes everyday tasks harder when stressed by having Lupus; cognitive rehabilitation offers a solution by helping restore normal cognitive function and improving quality of life – often achieved through education and exercises such as memory aids, prioritization training or time optimization training.
Meditation is an effective stress management technique that can lower inflammatory chemicals in the body and decrease pain perception, as it alters how people interpret pain signals from their environment. Meditation also has a beneficial impact on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responsible for stress regulation – therefore making mindfulness meditation practice essential for those living with autoimmune diseases in order to effectively manage stress levels and avoid its adverse impacts on health.
Natural treatments may help manage symptoms associated with Lupus; however, before trying any new therapies it’s essential to consult your doctor first. He or she may recommend adjustments in prescription medications or steer you away from activities such as herbal supplements and traditional Chinese medicine that could aggravate symptoms further.
Biofeedback
Biofeedback sessions use sensors attached to your body to detect changes in your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing and muscle tone. When detected by sensors attached to you body, these changes trigger signals like sound, flashing lights or pattern changes on a video screen that help you learn how to control bodily functions that you previously couldn’t. For instance, meditation may help reduce headaches while relaxing muscles might reduce urinary incontinence or anal pain.
Cognitive rehabilitation can assist those living with Lupus to increase their abilities to concentrate, remember and locate objects in space. It teaches individuals to prioritize tasks and manage time more effectively while playing various exercises such as Chess can train the mind and increase attention span.
Alternative therapies have yet to be proven as an effective means of relieving Lupus symptoms on their own, but can be useful when combined with medical therapy. If you’re curious about trying them, speak with your physician first – they will advise on which ones might interact with your medications as well as wellness practices that could ease symptoms like Yoga, Tai Chi and Guided Imagery that could potentially reduce flareups.
Massage therapy
Massage therapy has been shown to effectively ease symptoms associated with Lupus. Before engaging in any sort of natural or alternative treatments for Lupus, however, be sure to speak to your physician first as these may not be compatible with some medicines prescribed to you for managing Lupus.
Traditional treatments for lupus include antimalarial, immunosuppressive and biologic medications that can soothe your immune system, lower inflammation and prevent organ damage. Natural therapies like curcumin, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D3, green tea and cognitive therapies may also be effective at managing symptoms and improving quality of life as part of an overall treatment plan.
Other alternative therapies you could try include biofeedback and hypnotherapy. Biofeedback involves placing electrodes onto your body to measure various body functions such as heart rate, breathing rate and muscle tension. Learn to take control of these functions through relaxation techniques, while hypnotherapy offers suggestions to help relax and alter how you perceive things, including overcoming fear or anxiety that could contribute to lupus symptoms. Studies suggest hypnotherapy could assist with managing headaches, sleep disturbances and fatigue associated with Lupus. While managing symptoms and sticking with treatments plans can be challenging for some individuals with Lupus, joining support groups may provide helpful companionship for managing them more easily and maintaining your treatment regimen. You can inquire with your local doctor regarding local support groups for information or visit Lupus Foundation for further details.
Chiropractic
Chiropractic adjustments may provide great assistance for people living with Lupus by gently manipulating the spine and other joints with manual manipulations, offering relief to pain and improving posture, while simultaneously relieving stress. Some methods are gentle enough for those suffering with Lupus while others may need stronger force or even instruments for adjustments. People seeking care must find a provider aligned with the values of the International Chiropractic Association who is dedicated to scientific chiropractic care and who adheres to specific, scientific treatment regimens.
Lupus may not have a cure, but doctors can manage its complications through proper management. Antimalarial, immunosuppressive and biologic medicines can be helpful in managing inflammation levels while soothing immune systems and slowing organ damage; thus allowing flares to be avoided while reaching a state of remission. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may ease pain but does nothing for inflammation reduction or long-term damage prevention.
Natural therapies like acupuncture and yoga may be effective at relieving symptoms of lupus. But they shouldn’t replace an approach that includes prescription medication. Before engaging in any natural treatment plan, consult your physician first to make sure it won’t interact with any medications you’re already taking; and for advice on managing lupus effectively such as eating well, resting enough and engaging in physical exercise on most days (this helps ease fatigue as an additional symptom of lupus).
